CNC made hood vent levers!

**Jamos** · 06-05-2018, 06:56 PM

After having my car painted by a shop, I noticed parts missing and among the missing were the vent levers. "Never saw them" .... yet you had to remove them to paint the underside of the hood the way you did - where there is fresh paint RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE MISSING. Anyway, $100 each ........ no thanks. Some quick photoshop work, cnc design and cutting, screws, foam tape, presto!

Thanks to ECS for their incredible photo library, I was able to use their images to rough-out the overall shape needed. One cnc mistake and simple correction, and I saved myself about $300 Canadian and made'm myself.

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So I used 1/4" ABS plastic and cut it up on the CNC, then used some double-sided foam tape, and then some foam insulation tape around the edge to seal it off (fresh air from hood) Couple 1" standoffs inside the plastic cowl and it all came together nicely. Such a simple part/device and so damn expensive!

**shenofjo** · 06-05-2018, 06:59 PM

Did anyone ever say you have too much time on your hands? If i do half of your shananigans my wife would have left me...

**Jamos** · 06-05-2018, 07:03 PM

Hahah!! Dude if you saved $300, you could give her $150 to make'r happy, and have the $150 spare backup for next time!

**georgebest** · 06-05-2018, 07:19 PM

Lol!
Good job!

**racer2086** · 06-05-2018, 07:32 PM

Wow that is a great job! How about a replacement for the plastic hinges for the doors those Hood vent levers push open? One of mine is broken and the whole piece is like 150

**Jamos** · 06-05-2018, 07:35 PM

Honestly, I'd just remove the damn flaps. I was going to do that if this didn't work.

**oldroller** · 06-05-2018, 08:09 PM

Excellent work there! I need to fix one of my flaps also. Might be time for a diy, along with
the cowl weather strip/molding.

**shenofjo** · 06-06-2018, 01:22 AM

please make indestructible TCG already

**Jamos** · 06-06-2018, 01:45 AM

They already exist! M60B40 baby

**acspecialists** · 06-06-2018, 08:49 AM

Way cool! all I need now is a CNC machine and about five years to learn how to use it. I think I would just be stuck paying $300.

**clarkitect** · 06-06-2018, 05:52 PM

Very cool. I have a broken lever too.

**georgebest** · 06-06-2018, 07:12 PM

Have you all seen when Jamos made a blind spot detector out of like $20 for the E38?
That was classic!

**georgebest** · 06-06-2018, 07:24 PM

If we are discussing that area anyway, what is the function of these flaps? The one below is missing on my car, but it seems to be always open when the hood is closed, right?
I'm not sure if it's worth replacing it:

**Jamos** · 06-06-2018, 07:51 PM

Haha thanks George

As for their function, I truly think they are ONLY there to prevent liquid/debris from getting in the HVAC intake when the hood is open/off. The levers are only there to open them and they provide a "seal" from the top of the hood to the inside of the car, through the (missing in my case) charcoal filters in the hood.

**georgebest** · 06-06-2018, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Jamos

Haha thanks George

As for their function, I truly think they are ONLY there to prevent liquid/debris from getting in the HVAC intake when the hood is open/off. The levers are only there to open them and they provide a "seal" from the top of the hood to the inside of the car, through the (missing in my case) charcoal filters in the hood.

That was my thinking too, thanks for confirming. Will replace it eventually, but not urgent then.

**sigzagg** · 06-07-2018, 06:22 AM

I need to get and learn my self how to use a cnc machine and 3d printer

**georgebest** · 06-07-2018, 09:24 AM

Jamos should set up a business 3D printing the parts we need

**racer2086** · 06-07-2018, 11:22 AM

Yeah he's right. It's there so that debris and tools don't fall in there when the hood is open. I actually like that, since I usually have stuff all over the place when I'm working under the hood.

I may just buy the new part or figure out a way to fab a new hinge onto it.

**franco90** · 06-15-2018, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Jamos

After having my car painted by a shop, I noticed parts missing and among the missing were the vent levers. "Never saw them" .... yet you had to remove them to paint the underside of the hood the way you did - where there is fresh paint RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE MISSING. Anyway, $100 each ........ no thanks. Some quick photoshop work, cnc design and cutting, screws, foam tape, presto!

Thanks to ECS for their incredible photo library, I was able to use their images to rough-out the overall shape needed. One cnc mistake and simple correction, and I saved myself about $300 Canadian and made'm myself.

831.jpg

832.jpg

830.jpg

829.jpg

828.jpg

So I used 1/4" ABS plastic and cut it up on the CNC, then used some double-sided foam tape, and then some foam insulation tape around the edge to seal it off (fresh air from hood) Couple 1" standoffs inside the plastic cowl and it all came together nicely. Such a simple part/device and so damn expensive!

What is the Purpose of this ITEM .